In expectation of lots of visitors this year, I've been trying to create an "ideal itinerary." For me, this is a combination of getting a feel for the place, learning new insights and experiencing local culture. I love that I have a chance to scope things out ahead of time. Here's my 10-day version of that ever-morphing itinerary in my head.
Saturday: Take a quiet morning Shabbat walk from our house 10 min. down Jaffa St. to the Old City walls for a gorgeous first view of the city. You can also see lots of Jews walking to synagogue in their full Shabbat outfits. Then, attend church with us at the BYU Center, where you get more gorgeous views of the city and start to get oriented to where things are. After lunch, visit the Garden of Gethsemane or do some walking along a promenade to continue to get a feel for the lay of the land.
Sunday: Start early and hit the 3 "holies": the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. If you have energy, take a ramparts tour to get up out of the overwhelming alleyways of the Old City. Attend a Sunday night concert at the BYU Center.
Monday: Drive to Caesarea (1.5 hrs), the Roman ruins on the Mediterranean. Go to Jaffa on your way back to Jerusalem.
Tuesday: Visit the Mahane Yehuda Market near our house. It is fun to see the spice shops, dried fruits & nuts shops, bread shops, snacks and candy shops (plus fresh fruits & vegetables, dry goods, restaurants, etc.) Sample your way through the market for lunch and bring home some unique ingredients for dinner. In the afternoon, visit the Israel Museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, among other fabulous exhibits.
Wednesday: You might be ready to venture back into the Old City, but only after a fabulous breakfast at the Ticho House. The Tower of David (a citadel/archaeological site/museum) right at Jaffa gate gives you a great orientation to the Old City and the history of Jerusalem. Then, of course, there are endless shops and alleyways and more churches. St. Anne’s is a beautiful crusader-era church. Take a break at the Austrian Hospice and don't miss the views from the roof.
Thursday: Take a guided tour to Jericho and then Bethlehem and Herodium.
Friday: Drive to Galilee (2+ hour drive). Take a boat ride or go kayaking. Have a picnic overlooking the sea. Visit Nazareth Village. As you return to Jerusalem, Friday night is the start of Shabbat, so the city is very quiet. Drive to a lookout point to see Bethlehem at night.
Saturday: Go to the Garden Tomb before church.
Sunday: Experience the uniqueness of the Dead Sea and visit Masada.
Monday: souvenir shopping, tea at the American Colony Hotel, packing
If you have more time, consider: Petra and other sites in Jordan, snorkeling or scuba diving in the Red Sea, other Israeli cities like Tel Aviv or Haifa, or the many national parks in Israel. Then there is always more to do in and around Jerusalem: Rockefeller Museum, Bible Lands Museum, Hezekiah's Tunnel, Lehi's Cave, Yad Vashem, Western Wall Tunnel, Pool of Bethesda, and so much more. If you have a favorite bible story, there is probably a site dedicated to it. If you have a favorite period of history, there are definitely sites to visit.
Saturday, October 6, 2018
How we spent the Jewish holidays
It doesn't happen every year, but this year Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simhat Torah all fell within 4 weeks of each other. They are all "high days," treated like a Shabbat when everything is closed. This was in addition to the four regular Shabbats in that period, as well as some extra days off school and work thrown in for good measure, so it felt like a month of starts and stops. There were lots of Jewish visitors to the city and family reunions. We weren't really part of the festivities, but we had some good times...
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year): we played with new friends, enjoying fruit of the season and pleasant weather
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): while the Jews fasted and went to synagogue, we enjoyed our newly arrived bicycles on streets forbidden to cars. They shut down all the roads, even the highways and the airport.
Succot (Feast of the Tabernacles): most of our neighbors built temporary shelters on their balconies with thatched roofs where they ate their meals all week. We set up our camping tents on our balcony, and the kids had a fun night under the stars.
Simhat Torah (Rejoicing of the Torah): This was one of the few days our consulate security people were allowing us to drive on a highway through the West Bank to the Dead Sea, so we planned to go to an oasis called Ein Gedi. The friends we planned to go with had to cancel, and the kids weren't interested in leaving the house, so we played Legos and board games all day.
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year): we played with new friends, enjoying fruit of the season and pleasant weather
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): while the Jews fasted and went to synagogue, we enjoyed our newly arrived bicycles on streets forbidden to cars. They shut down all the roads, even the highways and the airport.
Succot (Feast of the Tabernacles): most of our neighbors built temporary shelters on their balconies with thatched roofs where they ate their meals all week. We set up our camping tents on our balcony, and the kids had a fun night under the stars.
Simhat Torah (Rejoicing of the Torah): This was one of the few days our consulate security people were allowing us to drive on a highway through the West Bank to the Dead Sea, so we planned to go to an oasis called Ein Gedi. The friends we planned to go with had to cancel, and the kids weren't interested in leaving the house, so we played Legos and board games all day.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Initial Outings
So, the kids aren't as into the history and culture as we would hope, but exploring the outdoors is appealing to them. So in addition to getting our house set up and rediscovering the joy of Legos and board games, we've gone to...
Beit Guvrin, a national park with caves that were used anciently as dove coops, cisterns, housing and quarries.
A playground close by (There is actually one closer in the ultra-orthodox neighborhood, but we were scared away by a warning sign that said something like, "Due to recent incidents, please don't wear skin-colored stockings.")
A fountain park near the Old City
Geode hunting with some new friends
The embassy pool and nearby beach in Tel Aviv
And a country club in Jerusalem that had a free trial day
Beit Guvrin, a national park with caves that were used anciently as dove coops, cisterns, housing and quarries.
A playground close by (There is actually one closer in the ultra-orthodox neighborhood, but we were scared away by a warning sign that said something like, "Due to recent incidents, please don't wear skin-colored stockings.")
A fountain park near the Old City
Geode hunting with some new friends
The embassy pool and nearby beach in Tel Aviv
And a country club in Jerusalem that had a free trial day
Living Downtown
We requested housing near the American school, but lucky for me, they gave us what they had, which is a gorgeous apartment right downtown. I can walk to the Consulate, the Old City, and the traditional market. J rides his new e-bike to work, and the kids have a bus service. We live on the top floor with a huge balcony and lots of windows. It is the best kitchen I've ever had, and due to some significant purging this move, we actually aren't cramped for space. We even have a guest room. I'm happy with the routines I've set up for myself and the kids, and I've found after four years of having a housekeeper, I don't mind the housework so far.
Our kitchen:
A walking street near our house:
And yes, those blue skies are the real deal. A huge boon after Shanghai.
Our kitchen:
A walking street near our house:
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